Before Nanbaka: Rock and Nico's Story
by Creekairc
Summary: When inmates Rock and Nico once again break out of prison, they attempt at creating new life and coming back into society while still under the noses of the police. This story takes place prior to the events of the "b4 Nanbaka" chapters that are in the manga. Special thanks and shout to tumblr blog @leeno7oreo for making this beautiful Cover image!
1. An Inmate On the Loose

"WE HAVE AN INMATE LOOSE! I REPEAT INMATE EIGHTY-THREE IS ON THE LOOSE!" An all too familiar sound blared through the halls as a boy with flying green hair and bandages wearing a hospital gown sprinted down the hall, crashing into officers with no regards and passing the other hollering inmates that were grasping on the bars of their cells watching intently to the events.

Guards in correction uniforms scampered behind with the intentions on apprehending the inmate, but not being able to run down quick enough.

The inmate was titled "Nico" as he wouldn't (or should we say couldn't) give a last name to go along with his name. With each step and sweat mark his loosened, meant to be replaced, bandages were getting soaked and loosening further. All the bandages that covered his right leg were disgarded somehere in the hallway. Swollen skin with a horrid purple and twisted shape was visible and anything touching it amounted in pain.

He needed to stop, but he couldn't. Or else the doctors would catch him and inject him with those painful needles that he loathed so much. It was a repeat of all his other prisons. He was brought to the doctor for injections, medicines, and checkups and he went on with a tantrum. Smashing the walls to freedom. Nico had to hesitate this time because he was much weaker today. All he had to do was lose the guards and he could escape with no smashing needed.

He turned into a dark corner that didn't have red light shining on it and crept into the dark wall while the correctional officers passed while yelling not-so appropriate words about the difficulties of having to catch him and muttering things such as _"We should've known this would happen! Dammit! He's done this with all his other prisons!"_

Nico backed away from the opening with a breath of relief. The bandage on his right eye was about to come off and he thumbled with his hands as to repair it.

Just as he was doing so a large hand tightened itself around his shoulder and a musky and by-god _furious_ voice rose from behind. Nico squealed and turned to look at a muscular man whose brows were furrowed immensly along with a furry mustache that was on his upper lip to show a row of gritting teeth.

"I-i-i…" Nico began to mutter as the hand tightened even harder on his shoulder, a quiet crack immersing from it. He winced in pain and as the guard was about to raise his fist as to pummel him in his face a fist appeared out of the bars on the cell next to them, knocking the guard out cold and leaving Nico standing, bewildered.

He turned to where the mysterious super-fist immerged and saw a man… boy(?) that was about his age, maybe a year or two older. His hair was styled in a messy red and purple mowhawk and had feathers dangling down from the sides. A large scar was across the bridge of his nose and a fierce look with gritted teeth was plastered on (and could be interpreted as being scarier).

For some reason, Nico wasn't afraid of him at all. Not only grateful for the rescue but he also found himself finding him cool or attractive. Almost like an anime protagonist that could save the day with a kameha- or spi- g-.

The look of rage was obliterated from his face and instead replaced with a look of concern and somewhat accomplishment. He turned to Nico and asked him in a voice loud enough for him to hear amongst the alarms still blaring.

"You alright? Nico, right?"

Nico was resulted speechless and a mixed feeling of heat and dizziness arose to his cheeks. He was feeling incredibly hot right now and his legs were trembling. It hurt and the sounds around him were fazing.

"Heuuuhhhhh.. Uhh yeah?" he said with a drowsiness in his voice.

"Could you unclip the keys attached to that guard's belt and then unlock the lock? It's the golden one."

Nico heard the instructions and obeyed them immediately and reached down to grab the keys attached to the hip of the belt on the officer with the little energy he had left. There was an arrangement of silver keys and finally a golden key in the middle. He took it and slowly placed it into the lock and turned it.

That was it. He fell back into the wall and blacked out. Heat consuming him.

Rock alarmingly pushed the door open and went to aid Nico. The bandage covering his right eye fell off to reveal a completely open and _empty_ eye socket that was emptied out from whatever happened to him.

Rock brought his left hand to support Nico's back and the other hand to check his forehead. It was burning hot. He had a fever. Rock picked up the boy with ease and caution so he wouldn't cause any further pain by placing his right arm under Nico's knees. He hauled him out of the hallway and checked to make sure there weren't any officers left. Now running down the stairs he found a bare wall that would lead them out and kicked it. Causing a emphatic crash of cinder and bricks that rattled throughout the entire building. He made sure to keep Nico away from any falling debree and carried him out of the prison while running out into the forest, where he knew there would be a road leading into a nearby town.

Rock tore open the fences as well and ran forwards into the forest. Nico was now breathing heavily into him and raised his hands to grasp at his torn jumper, muttering words such as " _take the heat away. Take it away. Pleaasee._ "

"Hold on okay?"

Rock looked around and saw a sign that had arrows pointing up " _Faroe City 1 mile"._ Fifteen minutes. He could handle that. Fixing nico's position in his arms Rock followed the sign and ran down on the side of the road heading torwards the city ahead.


	2. A New Place

Rock's feet were lagging from slight exhaustion. He had skipped breakfast that morning in refusal to eat the mush that was served in the untidy halls. He had even punched a guard that was forcing him to eat, landing him in a different cell as his punishment. It had been more of a blessing than a curse tough, as if he wasn't placed there then he wouldn't have rescued Nico.

Their current conditions at the moment could have been better though. Rock had ran into town through the worst side. It had it's ups and downs though.

Ups: They were far from society and they wouldn't have to worry about normal people turning them in.

Downs: They were in an incredibly untidy apartment and there were gangs lurking around every part of this wing.

Nico's eyes fluttered open but remained droopy. His dark face had gained a faint tint of pink from the rising heat of his fever. He made a gesture to say something, but his throat had given him no privilege of doing so. In a sudden movement his eyes widened in agony and he brought his swollen hand up to once again grab and pull at Rock's shirt.

Rock took Nico in his arms in an embrace. He had no idea what to do. All he did was being up the blanket that once covered Nico over him again and held him in his lap. Rock was wearing a mask (made by an abandoned piece of fabric he found) so he couldn't catch his fever, but could still aid him. He whispered encouraging words to him while brushing down and matting his hair.

"Everything hurts…" Nico's voice had been getting weaker and weaker by the moment. His eye holding tears and the empty eye socket visible. They hadn't been able to get any bandages to cover anything. There were pieces of fabric lying around from who knows what. Along with the blanket they found there on a dirty mattress. The fabric was wrapped around Nico's hand and his foot, but there was none for his poor eye.

What the hell am I supposed to do? Does average medicine work on him?

The only reason Rock had any vague knowledge of Nico's existence was from guards discussing it constantly. His medications, what they needed, and the worry of him struggling. His illness, or illnesses, were often mentioned.

Letting his voice come out, even with it sounding deep and intimidating, Rock had asked Nico "Does regular medicine work on you?"

Nico had dozed off but woke from his light sleep. His voice was quieter now. So low that Rock had to distance their faces less in order to hear him.

"D-don't know." he trailed off. Rock ran his hand on Nico's forehead again. His fever had gone up and his hand felt like it was about to burn off.

"Stay here… I-"

As he was about to finish his sentence when suddenly three men (all whom were dressed in dark colored clothes and their arms covered in tattoos) came in with metal bats in their arms and not so pleased expressions. Their skin was tanned and it was easy to tell they were foreign.

When they yelled as they rose their bats a thick accent could be heard on their words "What're you doing here? This is our property! Get out!"

One that was standing in the back came up to raise his bat in front of the two and brought it down with hard pressure. Just in time, Rock had kept Nico in his right arm while raising the left to block the hit. As the man stood there in shock, he used this opportunity to take its width and coil it in his hand. He took the object and swung it out behind them, resulting in the glass of the window behind them shattering and the bat leaving a loud clang down on the sidewalk.

He took Nico again and moved his mask down low as he stood up to tower over the gang. He let a scowl down at them and with a deep and irked voice he growled at them.

"I don't think you understand our situation here. My friend is in some deep shit right now so I'm gonna ask you to shut the hell up. Understand?"

The men had their arms raised and their bats had dropped to the floor. Visible sweat dripped down their faces and necks as they strained to look up to Rock.

Rock fixated his eyes on the one closest to the exit and grunted. He let out a small squeak and he backed up to the wall.

"You. Go to the Pharmacy around here and buy a water bottle Tylenol. NOW."

He nodded sheepishly and bolted out the door, his footsteps being heard down the hallway and through the halls. The other two tried sneaking away but Rock caught them in his gaze again.

"Do you two keep bandages around here?" He asked. His voice quieted down now and he didn't slump himself over to cast his shadow. The two nodded together and one had reached his hands into a bag that was on his back. Reaching into one of the side pockets he brought up a fist and opened it to reveal a roll of bandages. Most likely new, as it appeared to be untouched.

Rock lay Nico over the mattress again (as he had been carrying him the whole time) and angled his back to lay against the wall. His breathing had been getting heavier and his eyes were half open. Sweat dropped down from him and now his voice was completely lost.

Rock reached over and brought the bandages with him and set them down on the floor as he put up Nico and had him lay his back against the wall. He then took in his hand the roll and began to place them over his eye first.

The process was slow and quiet, the only noise being made was when Rock had gently removed the blanket to replace the fabric on his arm and leg with bandages. When he had finished up, Nico was sound asleep and Rock had felt relief at hearing his breaths instead of panting.


End file.
